Golf Camp

As previously posted (I think), when Isaac was in Texas visiting Nana and Grandpa Jim, they got him a private golf lesson. I knew he would like it but I had no clue how much he would love it! He even watched the US Open on tv when he was at their house. While he was there he was given some jr golf clubs which he anxiously awaited the arrival of after he got home (the clubs were sent fedex instead of trying to get them on an airplane).

Golf is a good sport for Isaac for many reasons. For one, he is ADD (no hyperactivity, just has a really hard time concentrating). He is on medicine right now and it is working great. He only gets the medicine when he is really needing to concentrate on something (like school). After 6-8 hours it is completely out of his system. However, I do not want him to forever be dependent on medicine to be able to concentrate. Golf is a game of focus and concentration (not that I know much about the game). I am hoping that through playing the game he will learn to focus and concentrate without medicine.



Secondly, Isaac's self esteem took a HUGE hit this past school year, as did his confidence. I want him to find something that is "his". Something that he can excel at, at his own pace, without having brothers to compare himself to or compete with. Anything that makes him feel better about himself.

It seems we may have found that something.

This week he is doing a golf camp. It is through First Tee. The First Tee is an organization that teaches life skills through the game of golf. They golf, but they also do mind-stimulating games, teach and encourage self confidence and build self-esteem. When I was talking to the man that is in charge of the program I was telling him some of Isaac's struggles and what we were looking for and he said I had just described their program.

His camp has about 15 kids and probably about 8 coaches. The coaches look like they are college aged. The kids have to be 9 by the end of the year to be able to be in the camp. Isaac just barely squeezed in (his birthday is December 20). He is the youngest child there, although "the boss" as Isaac was calling him until I told him his name, said that really he and Isaac were the only two that knew he was only 8 because he is the same size as everyone else.

When I dropped him off the first morning I asked the guy to look at Isaac's clubs and make sure they would work. After he looked at them, he said they were fine but might be a little small. They had some jr clubs for sale and for the clubs and a bag with the built in stand it was $75. Before I had a chance to say anything the guy said he had some clubs they had gotten with a grant and not everyone that signed up for whatever they were gotten for had shown up. So he had some clubs he could give Isaac. Isaac got a $75 set of clubs for free (second set of free clubs in a two week period)!

On his first day, right before I got there to pick him up at 4, he managed to sit in an ant pile. He had taken his shoes off to get sand out of them and when he sat down to put them back on he sat in ants. Somehow, before he even realized he was in ants he was COVERED in ants. When I walked in to get him the instructor was kneeling in front of Isaac rubbing alcohol all over his legs to make the burning stop.



Between golfing in the heat, getting eaten alive by ants and then the benadryl I gave him when he got home, I was SURE he would pass out from exhaustion. Nope. Dad got home from work and as normal, before Dad even got the door closed Isaac was asking if they could go golf. And they did. And he does every evening after dinner.



I have talked to the head of the program several times when I was picking Isaac up and asked what he thought of how Isaac was doing. He said that he was keeping up with the best of the group and working hard. He said he was very respectful (which has never been a problem with him) and seemed to truly love the game. He also said that he asked a lot of questions. The only problem he had noticed was that Isaac was getting hot easily (which he always has) and needed a couple of more breaks than the other kids, but after he took a very short break, he was ready to go again.

Most of the kids in the camp have been golfing for a while. They come decked out in their Callaway golf attire, have their wheeled bag caddys (whatever they are called), etc. Isaac does not let that discourage him. He says that there are several that are REALLY good, but his coaches have told him that they are a little older and they ALL started where Isaac is at. So instead of it discouraging him, he is looking at it more like "If I work hard, that is where I can be"

It is so exciting for his Dad and I to see our very mellow, laid back child become so happy and passionate about something. He keeps asking me to buy him things like the golf shoes, the bag caddy, etc and I keep telling him we have to wait and see if he is going to stick with it. To be completely honest, I do not see this going away any time soon. Even when he comes home tired he still wants to play more. He even wants to take his clubs on vacation with him. I swear if he thought he could get away with it he would sleep with them!

I was once told when I was younger that I would know when I was in love when he was the first thing I thought about when I opened my eyes in the morning and the last thing I thought of when I closed my eyes at night and in between those times he was always on my mind. And that, even when it hurt you still wanted more.

I think Isaac just found his first love!!